EXCLUSIVE: Kate Walsh to replace Brien Winther at helm of Pandora UK

Pandora UK is preparing for its second leadership change in less than 18 months after it was confirmed today that Brien Winther is leaving the business.

He will be replaced by Kate Walsh, Pandora’s managing director for Northern Europe.

Mr Winther only joined the brand’s UK operations at the start of last year, so the timing of his departure will undoubtedly come as a surprise to many of its retail partners.

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A Pandora spokesperson confirmed to Professional Jeweller this morning that Mr Winther, who flew over from Australia to become Pandora UK’s managing director in January 2017, had decided to retire and would hand over the reins to Mrs Walsh.

The exact date of transition has not been confirmed, but Professional Jeweller understands that Pandora is targeting a timeframe of mid-September.

Winther, who previously worked as the president of Pandora in Australia & New Zealand, hails from a strong retail background in his home market.

In an exclusive interview with Professional Jeweller earlier this year, he admitted it had been a “challenging” 12 months from a revenue perspective and outlined his and the company’s plans to drive business.

In the 18 months Winther has held the role, the company has started to move away from its franchise-led model, and has bought back a bevvy of its franchise stores.